Viet Nam produces high-strength special steel for heavy-duty vehicles for first time

Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC, a unit of Vietnamese steelmaker Hoa Phat Group, has successfully produced S700MC high-strength structural steel in compliance with the European BS EN 10149 standard, becoming the first manufacturer in Viet Nam to master production of this specialized steel grade.

The steel is widely used in the production of vehicle chassis, load-bearing beams, heavy-duty trailers, cranes, concrete pump trucks, and various industrial equipment designed to handle substantial loads.

Hoa Phat Group announced the achievement on Friday afternoon, saying that the S700MC is a low-alloy hot-rolled steel plate with a minimum yield strength of 700 MPa.

The steel offers significantly greater load-bearing capacity and resistance to deformation than conventional steel.

One of the key advantages of the S700MC is its combination of high strength, excellent cold-forming capability, and good weldability, said the firm.

As such, manufacturers can reduce material thickness and optimize structural weight, while ensuring durability and operational safety.

Producing this grade of steel requires strict control throughout the entire manufacturing process, from steelmaking and refining to billet casting and rolling.

Hoa Phat said it has mastered critical technologies, including chemical composition design, microalloying, precipitation control, thermo-mechanical controlled processing, and microstructure management.

Nguyen Bao Trung, head of steelmaking technology at Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel, noted that the S700MC presents significant technical challenges because it must achieve a delicate balance between strength and ductility.

“If the steel is too hard but lacks sufficient ductility, it becomes difficult to form into finished products.

Conversely, increasing ductility without maintaining strength would prevent the steel from meeting technical requirements,” he explained.

Industry observers view the successful production of the S700MC as an important step forward for Viet Nam’s steel sector.

The achievement is expected to increase the localization rate of raw materials for the mechanical engineering industry, reduce dependence on imported special steel, and strengthen Viet Nam’s participation in global industrial-material supply chains.

Hoa Phat has already developed a range of advanced steel products serving the manufacturing sector, including prestressed steel, elevator cable steel, and crane cable steel.

In the automotive industry, the firm supplies steel products used in tire bead wire and vehicle chassis production.

It also plans to develop additional advanced automotive steel grades such as DP600, DP780, and DP800.

In addition, Hoa Phat is researching high-grade steel products for the oil and gas industry that comply with API 5L and API 5CT standards.

Source: Tuoitrenews